RP: For these people, I thank you

[jake_abernathy]

Date: November 24, 2011
Characters: Jake Abernathy, Star Abernathy (NPC), Neve Standheim, Shelby, Mack and Bryn Standheim (NPCs), Ezra Loy
Location: Jake’s place
Status: Private
Summary: Jake has much to be grateful for this year.
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[neve_stadheim]

Neve was completely unashamed of the way her heart kind of skipped when Jake answered the door and smiled up at her, there was just something about seeing that smiling and knowing how he felt about her. She was pleased when it seemed that Jake was happy to see not only her, but her girls as well; though this should have surprised her since he had always been fond of her girls. "Hey you." She greeted him, stepping into the house as he moved back, and she was shadowed by Shelby and Bryn. "Ezra and Mack are on their way." Neve explained, realizing belatedly that Jake might worry why her youngest, and the daughter that was struggling most with their relationship, wasn't here.

"Shelby said Uncle Ezra just wanted and excuse to drive his car." Bryn piped up, smiling while she moved over to Jake and in her usual Bryn fashion of late, she crawled into his lap to give him a hug. "It's like Bumblebee from Transformer's, but it's white and Momma says it's a silly car to own, but Uncle Ezra couldn't be talked out of it."

While Bryn chattered away Shelby quietly slipped into the house, still not entirely knowing how to take her Mom and Jake's relationship, thankfully Bryn was drawing all the attention at the moment. She was just waiting for a time in which she could find Star and hide away with her friend.

Shaking her head, Neve laughed. "That's not the reason, Bryn." Although she thought her daughter's rant was cute. "Your Uncle and Sister just weren't ready yet."

[jake_abernathy]

Jake grinned back at her. "Hey you," he said back. "Ah okay. Good to know," he said with a nod, wondering briefly about it but deciding whatever the reason, Ezra would take care of his niece; he had heard he was closer to the middle child anyway.

He chuckled at Bryn's explanation, pulling her on up into his lap to hug her and kiss the top of her head fondly. "Oh really? Like Bumblebee? That is a nice car," he said. "I can see why your uncle really wanted one."

He looked up to smile at Shelby. "Hey, Shelby, I'm glad you're here," he said. "I think Star is either in the kitchen or in her room, if you're wondering where she is." He wasn't going to force himself on Neve's children, but he would acknowledge them. He wasn't about to keep her here right now when she likely wanted to be elsewhere, though. He gave her the graceful out for the moment.

"Well, they have a bit of time before it becomes urgent, luckily," Jake said. "I think the turkey isn't quite done yet."

[neve_stadheim]

That was a sight that Neve wouldn't mind seeing more often, her youngest daughter snuggled on Jake's lap. She might not be looking for someone to replace their father, but she couldn't help but love the fact that Jake cared about her girls and as of right now at least one of her girls seemed fond of him.

"Uh huh, really. It's white though, and not yellow, also it doesn't talk or turn into a robot like Bumblebee does." Bryn explained, wide blue eyes peering up at Jake. "Momma says he bought it 'cause he could." She added, parroting what Neve had always said about Ezra's car.

Shelby hesitantly smiled back at Jake. "Thanks for inviting us." she said, remembering her manners even while she knew the invite had come because Jake was dating her Mom. "Would it be okay if I went to find her?" Shelby wasn't going to leave unless her Mom or Jake told her it was okay, they were guests here and she wasn't about to be rude to Jake.

"Ezra's not usually late, they should be here soon." Neve said, nodding as Jake said the turkey wasn't quiet ready. "Is there anything I can help with?" She kind of expected the answer would be something along the lines of staying out of the kitchen, but Neve couldn't help asking at least.

[jake_abernathy]

"Well, that's too bad. I've always wanted a robot car," Jake said, smiling. "Well, I don't blame your uncle, it's a good car. If you can buy it, every now and then you should, within reason." He spoke to her simply but not down to her; he found that kids understood far more than most grown ups gave them credit for, and Bryn never lacked for questions if she didn't understand.

"Wouldn't have it any other way," he told Shelby. "Yes, go on," he said kindly. "She'll be glad to have the company, I'm sure." She had been rather quiet, but at least not obstinate, so he'd taken it for as much of a win as he could at the time.

Jake smiled at her, chuckling faintly. "No, I think we're fine in the kitchen," he told her, amused, reaching for her hand now that Shelby was gone and pressing a chaste kiss to its back. "No need to trouble yourself with the food." His tone was light and mildly teasing.

[neve_stadheim]

Bryn giggled at the idea of having a robot car. "Really? Do you think Transformers exist?" She asked in all seriousness, the way only a seven year old could. "Momma says it's like a mid-life crisis, whatever that is. But instead of it being mid-life, it was a teenage boy crisis." She explained, and Neve laughed at her daughter in the way she was explaining it. Ezra had bought the car shortly after his nineteenth birthday, and no matter how much anyone tried to talk him out of it he wouldn't listen; he loved that car.

Shelby just smiled a little bigger at Jake's words, she was slowly warming to the idea of him and her Mom dating, slowly. Though when he said things like that, even She could admit it was hard not to like him, or the idea of him with her mom. "Thanks." She said as she ducked out of the entryway and went towards Star's room first.

Neve leveled a serious look at Jake, or mock-serious really. "Now, are you being entirely honestly with me, Jake?" She asked with a laugh. "Or are you just afraid of my presence in the kitchen?" A heart kind of fluttered when Jake took her hand and kissed it, and she made a mental note that she'd give him a more proper 'hello' when none of their children were present. "Shame, I was so looking forward to distracting you a little bit." She remarked, remembering their conversation from the previous week.

[jake_abernathy]

Jake tilted his head and pretended to ponder the question. "I don't know. I don't think so, but you never know, do you?" he said, tapping the tip of her nose lightly. He couldn't help but chuckle as she chattered on about what her mom said, it was always amusing to hear what a child repeated--and hopefully it wasn't something that one didn't mind having repeated.

He smiled after Shelby, hoping she would eventually warm to him a little more, at least to the point that they'd used to be. He'd always been fond of Neve's children.

"Mm, I thought it best to keep you away from the kitchen action," he teased softly. "Mmm, I'm sure you can still find a way to do that. Anyway, I think Mother and Rosalia are in the kitchen right now. You remember Rosa, don't you, Bryn? She makes the cookies I always have here," he told the little girl, grinning slightly.

[neve_stadheim]

Bryn thought about Jake's answer for a long moment, blue eyes still wide. "What if they're mean like the bad Transformers? I don't want a mean car." She really didn't think Transformers were real, but a boy in her class said they were, and now Jake was saying they might be, and she was kind of concerned about this now. "Maybe....maybe they're just pretend." Bryn offered, trying to convince herself more than anything.

Shelby was just relieved to be out of there, she didn't dislike Jake, it still just felt odd to see her Mom with someone else. She could remember her parents together more than either of her sisters, adjusting wasn't easy, but she thought she was doing better than Mackenzie at least. Reaching Star's room, Shelby knocked on the door lightly. "Star?"

"It doesn't have to be the entire kitchen, just the oven." She argued half-heartedly. "I'm sure I can, though maybe later." Neve wanted to say more, but with Bryn still in the room she wasn't going to risk it.

"Hmm...." Bryn thought on it for a moment, fairly certain she remembered Rosa. "She's the nice lady who's always here, right?" She hoped she was thinking of the right lady, 'cause she liked the cookies and that lady was always nice to her.

[ezra_loy]

Ezra felt kind of terrible that he had been running late, a rough night's sleep had caused him to get a late start on everything. Thankfully Neve had been understanding, and Mackenzie had practically jumped at the chance to put off going over to the Abernathy's that much longer, though Ezra ignored her pleas of 'Couldn't we just not go?' as he finished up getting set to head over. He loved his niece and could understand she was struggling with this, but he wasn't going to cave to her begging.

The ride over had been a quiet one, Mackenzie was silently fuming in the passenger's seat. Ezra would have felt guilty about this normally, but he was reminded that at one point Mack had really liked Jake, and all she needed was time to adjust to this new situation. He didn't envy his sister or Jake in this situation, dating he was coming to find out was a complicated matter as it was, and single parenthood seemed to complicate it that much more.

He wasn't dragging Mackenzie up the walk, but he felt like he practically should be with the way she was dragging her feet, and when he glanced over at her all he got in return was an irritated look. "Mack, are we going to get to the door sometime today?" Ezra asked, though his tone wasn't stern. She didn't reply though, and he wasn't expecting one.

When they did finally reach the door, Ezra knocked once and prepared to make apologies for their lateness, even though he was fairly certain Neve already had.

[jake_abernathy]

Jake's eyes softened and he hugged Bryn carefully to his chest, arms strong and safe around her. "I think you're probably right, Bryn. I think they're just pretend," he said after giving it a moment of thought. "You're a smart girl, you know that?" he told her.

"It's open," Star called, looking up. She hadn't heard the door, but she had been wearing her headphones. She pulled them off as Shelby came in, smiling at her. "Shelby! Hi, I didn't hear you guys come in," she said, sitting up.

"Well, so long as you stay away from the oven and stove and all, we can sit in the kitchen and smell the good smells," he conceded, grinning merrily at her.

He nodded at Bryn. "Yes, with the dark hair, speaks Spanish sometimes." Rosa always spoiled his own girl, and other children coming through the house were never a problem either. She would welcome Bryn with an 'hola' and a hug and try to feed her immediately, he was sure.

Another knock sounded at the door, and Jake wheeled back over to get it. "Welcome, welcome," he told them both. "Come on in, Ezra, Mackenzie. Happy Thanksgiving." He smiled equally at both of them.

[neve_stadheim]

Bryn snuggled into Jake as he hugged her, tipping her chin up to peer up at him with concerned wide blue eyes. "You think?" It wasn't often that Bryn was told she was right about something by an adult. "Momma says I am, but Mack always said she just has to say that 'cause she's our Momma." she answered honestly.

Shelby turned then knob and pushed the door open, smiling at at her friend as she entered the room. "We haven't been here long, Mom, Bryn and your Dad haven't even left the entryway yet." She explained moving to drop down onto Star's bed. "And my Uncle Ezra and Mack are running late." Shelby wasn't going to resent her Uncle for supporting this whole her Mom dating Jake thing, because she was trying to accept this, to be happy for her Mom and for Jake.

"And if I don't, are you going to do something to stop me?" She teased, smiling mischievously at Jake. "It would only be polite to lend a hand." Neve was fairly certain that Jake's mother and Rosalina were both well aware of her lack of skills and her general hazardous nature in the kitchen by now. Still it was fun to tease Jake, and honestly Neve was continually pleased to see him so upbeat, though she didn't have a big head in thinking she had anything to do with the change in Jake's moods.

Nodding, Bryn was pleased that she was thinking of the same woman. "Is Rosa spending thanksgiving with us?" The little girl was curious, and also now very much looking forward to the possible cookies that might be waiting in the kitchen, because there were always cookies at Jake's house.

When the knock came at the door, Neve was both relieved and concerned. As a mother she still worried about what kind of mood Mackenzie would be in, though she was thankful that Ezra was here today, he always managed to at least keep Mackenzie under control. She smiled at her baby brother, and her middle child as the stepped into the house, though her smile faltered just a bit when she picked up on Mackenzie's mood, of course her daughter hadn't managed to find a better mood while waiting for her Uncle to get ready.

[ezra_loy]

Stepping into the house, Ezra returned Jake's smile, really pretty grateful for the invite. He kind of thought that Jake didn't have to invite him, although he appreciated that Jake valued family enough to extend the invite to him as well and not just Neve and her girls. "Happy Thanksgiving." Ezra said, laughing only slightly when he noticed Bryn happily taking up residence on Jake's lap. "And I see you've got a permanent companion again." He thought it was kind of great how Jake really did seem to care about Neve's girls, it was encouraging to him that Jake not only wanted to be with his sister, but that he also understood that the girls were part of that package. Though with Jake being a single dad, Ezra kind of thought he understood better than some.

Mackenzie shuffled into the house after her uncle and mumbled a 'Happy Thanksgiving.' which only received a 'look' from Ezra, so she stood up straighter and in a clearer voice said. "Happy Thanksgiving Jake, thank you for inviting us." She stopped herself from asking if she go could find Shelby and Star now. Her uncle had given her a bit of talk about manners on the ride over.

[jake_abernathy]

“I do think so, and I don’t think your mom would just say it. Your mom is an honest lady.” She would never call her daughters stupid, but she wouldn’t just say it to say it either, he thought. She had smart children, he knew, he knew them well enough to be able to say it.

“Oh okay, good,” Star said, setting her ipod aside and gesturing for Shelby to sit wherever she wanted. “Had a good holiday so far?” she asked. “We’ve not really done much so far, but it’s nice not to be in school for a bit. Ahh okay, but they are coming, right?” She still wasn’t pleased about their parents dating, and at least Mack and Shelby seemed to understand that.

Jake grinned at her, thinking of the many things he could say to Neve if Bryn weren’t here. “I might just try,” he said. “I think my mother and Rosa will understand.” Not that his mother was doing much herself, just flitting around helping here and there. She wasn’t the most skilled woman in the kitchen.

“Rosa is spending it with us. She is like part of my family, I have known her since I was your age,” he told the little girl in his lap. “She took care of me when my mom was busy with things, and she’s cooked for my mom and dad a long long time.”

Jake could tell by various expressions that Mackenzie was going to be a bit of problem, but he was determined for it not to be a huge one. He would treat her as he’d always treated her, no reason to change because he was dating Neve now. HE’d always treated her well. “Happy Thanksgiving,” he replied, and laughed softly as Ezra pointed out his companion. “I have, she is a most excellent lap warmer,” he said with a grin.

“You’re very welcome, Mackenzie. I’m glad you could come,” he told the girl. With the same kindness he’d shown her older sister, he said, “I think Star and Shelby are in Star’s room, if you want to join them.” He wasn’t going to force the issue with her, but neither was he going to stop dating Neve.

[neve_stadheim]

Bryn smiled brightly, she liked hearing Jake talk about her Momma. "Momma always said honesty was the best policy." She replied, though she didn't know exactly what that meant, she just thought it meant that she should always be honest.

"Yeah, I mean the holiday has just started. My Uncle made us breakfast this morning, he's not an awesome cook, but he can manage pancakes without setting the house on fire." Shelby said with a laugh, aware that Star knew her Mom's issues in the kitchen. Thankfully it wasn't a family trait. "We watched the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, which was kind of fun." She continued, glancing over at Star. "So how's your Holiday been so far?"

Neve had to wonder that was going on in Jake's head as he grinned at her, and oh, if little ears weren't listening she would have pressed him for what he might have been thinking. "Only might?" she asked, smirking. "You just don't want the guys from the fire department showing up." Neve teased, though she didn't mind being kept away from the kitchen, it was probably safer that way.

"Really? Rosa doesn't look that old." Bryn said this the only way a child really could, with such honesty that it couldn't be taken as an insult. "Oh, so kind of like how Uncle Ezra takes care of us when Momma's working?"

Neve winced at Mackenzie's attitude, though she would have to thank Jake later for taking it so well, and for being patient with her middle child. That fact only made her fall for him that much more, though she wasn't rushing things, she could see herself wanting a future with Jake, and these little gestures, the fact that he cared about her enough to deal with her rude child, it meant a lot to her.

[ezra_loy]

Mackenzie really was trying to be good, it was just so hard. Her Mom was dating Jake, a guy who she'd always liked, but her Mom wasn't supposed to date, and definitely not Jake. She still had the fear that her Mom would forget her Dad, and then she'd be the only person around to reminder him, or she and Shelby. She wanted to tell her Uncle Ezra not to be nice to Jake, and she couldn't help the glare she gave Bryn as her little sister practically attached herself to Jake permanently. She didn't hate him, she didn't. She just didn't want everyone forgetting her Dad because of him.

Ezra laughed and shook his head. "Be careful, that's how she lulls you into a false sense of safety, with cuddles and those big blue eyes." He warned jokingly. "Good luck getting her to move." His youngest niece was a cuddle bug, and Jake seemed like a fairly willing victim.

Mackenzie shifted uncomfortably, wanting to find Shelby and Star. She let out a relieved sigh when Jake told her where her sister and Star were, and that she could go join them. "Thank you." She said, glancing at her Mom who just gave her a look that she knew well, the 'Mackenzie Ann, be nice' look. She was almost a blur as she quickly moved towards Star's room and knocked on the door once she reached it. Mackenzie didn't wait for an answer though as she pushed it open and greeted her sister and Star. "Hey, so this is where we're hiding out, huh?"

[jake_abernathy]

Star laughed softly and smiled. She knew all about Shelby’s mom’s lack of skills in the kitchen. She’d known for a long time, and she’d used to tease her along with everyone else, that was, until her dad started dating her. Now she didn’t know what to do or say half the time. She didn’t want to like her anymore, but she’d known her for years, so it was hard to forget all of that. “Well, lack of fire is a good thing,” she said. “It’s been okay, I guess. I helped Rosa and my grandma in the kitchen for awhile.”

“No, the guys would never let me live it down,” Jake said with a rumbling laugh in his chest. That would be funny, most definitely, even if he and the guys didn’t get together much anymore, most of them more uncomfortable with him now than they would freely admit.

“Rosa isn’t very old, no,” he said, amused. Rosa had probably been in her early twenties all those years ago when she started, he thought. She’d treated him like a kid of her own, though, even if she didn’t actually have any children. Just nieces and nephews. “Yes, a lot like that.”

Jake smiled. “She doesn’t have to move. She’s good for now.” He hugged an arm around Bryn, resisting the urge to kiss the top of her head. He couldn’t deny that he liked having her in his lap, especially when she was so willing to cuddle.

He looked almost sadly after Mackenzie when she fled so quickly, but he knew she would come around. Eventually. He hoped.

“For now,” Star said, gesturing for her to clamber up on the bed as well. “Unless you want to hang out in the kitchen. It smells really good in there.”

[neve_stadheim]

Shelby laughed along with Star, because really her Mom's lack of cooking skills was amusing. "Thankfully other people are cooking today, then." She said, knowing that her Mom would stay out of the kitchen, and he wasn't going to think about the fact that Star's Dad could actually cook and kind of balanced her Mom out in that way. She nodded when Star said her Thanksgiving had been good so far, though in the back of her mind she wondered if her friend resented the fact that so many people were sharing the day with them, thus taking away time spent with her Dad. "Did they let you cook anything?"

"No they wouldn't, take it from someone with a lot of experience in that area." Neve said with a laugh. "Although in your case you could just blame it on me, so maybe most of the teasing would come my direction." She didn't want the fire department to show up, knowing that a good deal of the guys just didn't know how to act around Jake anymore. "I guess for your sake and mine I won't try and assist with cooking."

"Rosa's not old then, but everyone's older than me though." Bryn said, sighing heavily. She didn't want to be the baby anymore, because everyone reminded her of just how young she was. "I'm always the baby, expect when Abby's around 'cause she's younger than me."